New TV ad to Spark UK Tourism Increase Amongst German Market

They account for over 10% of all visits to the UK, so it's not surprising Hostelworld.com and VisitBritain have joined forces to begin their first joint TV advertising campaign, targeting the German youth market.

A cultural first for both Hostelworld.com and VisitBritain, their joint ad looks to appeal to 16-34 year olds who are considering travel destinations for 2013.

The ad shows viewers how hostels provide a friendly, cost-effective way to visit the UK, as consumer research revealed that "value" and "being made to feel welcome" are key factors when choosing a destination and accommodation.

As the majority of holiday makers will admit, having to pay $US100 per night on accommodation is challenging and this makes hostels an increasingly popular choice. This short and quirky ad will appeal to the youth market as it showcases the ability for them to experience different cultures and make new friends, for as little as 20 Euros a night.

With the national tourism agency hoping to attract an additional 4.6 million overseas visitors by 2015, the German market is the first on their list to target. In 2011 German travellers brought in £1.25 billion into the UK, thanks to visits from three million German tourists.

Research conducted by Hostelworld.com and Lonely Planet reveals that 61% of holidays undertaken each year are for sightseeing and cultural enlightenment, making the UK the fifth most popular destination for tourists in the world.

Marketing Director at VisitBritain,Joss Croft said: "With Europe's economic growth outlook still subdued, many travellers are choosing their accommodation abroad based on cost. The youth market is an important audience for Britain due to their resilient budgets. The new TV ad allows us to target German travellers wanting affordable accommodation with a friendly welcome and buzzing atmosphere in Britain, which is where HostelWorld.com can help."

Feargal Mooney,CEO for Hostelworld.com said: "We're proud to have been VisitBritain's partner of choice in helping increase tourism to the UK. As the world's most trusted hostel-booking website, we are delighted to be able to work with them to promote the great value accommodation that hostels have to offer.

"By working with VisitBritain to create this TV ad targeting the German youth market, we are glad we're able to engage with a hugely influential market and inspire more tourism and hostel bookings across Britain."

Notes:

Analysis taken from annual data set of Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey, which measures characteristics and numbers of inbound visitors to the UK each year.

Global study from Hostelworld.com and Lonely Planet questioned over 5000 people in 141 countries.

About Hostelworld.com

The global market leader for over 10 years, Hostelworld.com is the leading provider of online reservations to the budget, independent and youth travel market and has been voted the most trusted hostel booking site in 2012 (1). It offers confirmed online reservations for over 35,000 hostels, B&B's and budget hotels in 180 countries worldwide and is the only hostel booking site to offer a service guarantee. The site also offers budget travellers over 3.5 million guest reviews, award-winning travel videos & podcasts, free customised city guides, a travel social network and more. Hostelworld.com is headquartered in Dublin and is fully owned and operated by Web Reservations International Ltd (WRI). Start planning your next adventure at http://www.hostelworld.com

About Visit Britain

VisitBritain is the national tourism agency, responsible for marketing Britain worldwide & developing Britain's visitor economy. A non-departmental public body, funded by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, we work with partners in the UK & overseas to ensure that Britain is marketed in an inspirational & relevant way around the world. Our partners include government agencies such as UKTI, airlines & operators, global brands such as Samsung as well as the official tourism bodies for London, England, Scotland & Wales. To read more about us, please visit http://www.visitbritain.org